Means for sizing shoes and the like



July 12, 1938. A. sAcHs 2,123,475

MEANS FOR SIZING"SHOES AND THE LIKE Fil'ed Feb. 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY Wad! ATTORNEYS July 12,1938; SACHS- 2,123,475

MEANS FOR SIZING Sl-fOES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l r N 2 11 1NVENTO'R. I

BY La ATTORNEYS Patented July 12; 1938 'PATE.

NT OFFlQE MEANS FOR. SIZING SHOES AND THE LIKE Abraham Sachs, Newark, N. J., assignor to Mary Sachs, New York, N. Y.

Application February 1, 1935, Serial No. 4,425

.' 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a method and means for. sizing shoes, boots and other footwear and refers more particularly to a device by means of which various parts of the shoe leather may be enlarged or shrunkin conformity with the par-.

ticular shape of the wearers foot.

Heretofore shoes were stretched by subjecting the entire leather of the shoe to uniform strain. This method of increasing the entire size of the shoe is often ineifectiveparticularly if the footof the wearer is deformed or irregularly shaped.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a device by means of which a certain limited are-a of the shoe leather is subjected to shrinkage or stretching.

Another object is the provision of a simple: and elfective method of sizing limited areas of the shoe leather, whereby the shoe is caused to correspond. to the individual shape of the wearers foot.

I have found that comparatively small areas of shoe leather may be shrunk by the successive application of moisture and heat and that such areas may be stretched by the simultaneous application of heat and a pulling or stretching forceto such areas.

Therefore, the above and other objects of the present invention may be realized through the provision of a preferably electrical heating device having the shape of a pair of tongs which may be applied to predetermined areas of the shoe leather in order to clamp these areas, and to transmit heat thereto.

If it is desired to shrink a portion of a shoe, that portion is first moistened and the-n the electrical heating device is applied tothis portion, with the result that it is gradually and uniformly heated. The combined effect of moisture and heat will shrink this portion of the shoe leather.

If the leather is to be stretched, the tongshaped heating device is placed over the area and then the operator stretches the leather by manual force while the leather is being heated.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a heating device in side elevation. with some parts broken off.

Figure 2 is an. end view showing a part of the heating device.

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section along the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows av heating device of asomewhat difi'erent form.

Figure 6 shows in perspective the shaping members constituting a part of the heating device shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 illustrates in perspective shaping members of a somewhat different form.

Figure 8 showsl in side elevation a heating device of a difierent construction.

Figure 9 is an end view of the device shown in Figure 7.

The heating device shown in Figuresl to 4 of the drawings is similar in form to a pair of tongs and comprises an arm H) which is con.- -nected by a pivot II with an arm 2. The arm It! comprises a curved handle portion 3 which is preferably covered by a rubber sheath I l. The handle portion l5 of the member I2 is also covered by a rubber covering i6 and carries a resilient leaf spring ll having an end it which is in contact with the arm Hi.

The jaw portions l9 and 20 of the arms l0 and I2, respectively, are preferably arcuate in shape and carry the bars or shaping elements 2| and 22 respectively.

In the device shown in Figures 2 and 4, the bars 2| and 22 form integral parts of the arms I0 and H2 or are firmly connected to these arms.

As shown in Figure 3, the bar 2| is hollow and contains a heating element 23 consisting of a plurality of superposed electrical resistances. A cover 24 consisting of an insulating material is attached by bolts 25 and 26 to the side walls of the bar 2|. The bar 2| is preferablymade of an insulating material which is a good conductor of heat so that the heat generated by the heating element 23 is quickly transmitted to the exterior surfaces of the bar 2|.

The electrical current is supplied to the heating element 23 by means of a conductor cord 2'1 which passes through the hollow tubular interior 28 of the handle H5. The cord 21 is held in place by clamps 29 and 30 carried by the end portion I9 of the member Ill and passes into the interior of the bar 2i through an opening 3| formed in the cover 24. The conducting wires of the cord 2'! are connected in any suitable manner to the ends. of the heating element 23.

As shown in Figure 4 the bar 22 carried by the member I2 is made of a single solid piece of material and comprises a concave surface 32 which conforms to a convex surface 33 of the bar 2|. The two surfaces are situated opposite each other and come in contact witheach other when the operator moves the handle portions l3 and I5 towards each other against the .action'of the spring ll, (Fig. 1).

The handle [3 carries a hook 36 adapted to be clamped by a ring 3! carried by the handle l5.

, In operation the device should be preferably.

placed over the shoe leather in such a manner that the convex surface 33 of the bar 2| is placed on the inside of the shoe while the concave surface 32 of the bar 22 is applied to the outside surface of the leather.

If it is desired to shrink a portion 34 of the shoe leather (Fig. 4) this portion is first moistened and then the device is placed over the shoe so that the convex surface 33 of the bar 2| is situated on the inside of the shoe while the concave surface 32 of the bar 22 is applied to the outside portion of the shoe. Then the electrical currentis switched on so thatthe bar 2| will 7 transmit its heat to the adjoining portions of the leather 34.

The heat applied to the moist leather will.

cause a shrinkage of this. leather. This process may be interrupted by the operator at any suitable time by releasing his grip on the handle portions I3 and |5. The spring will then cause the separation of the bars 2| and 22 with the result that the supply ofheat to the leather 34 will be immediately interrupted.

If it is desired to stretch the leather the heating device is applied over a portion 34 of the leather while this leather is comparatively dry. This portion, of the leather is permitted to heat for a suitable period of time and then the operation must exert a pull, lift or hoist on the heating device while the bars 2| and 22 hold the leather. This pulling force combined with the heat will stretch the leather. The operator continues to pull at the leather until the heated area of the leather is stretched to the desired extent and then he releases his grip upon the handles l3 and |5 so that the bars 2| and 22 move apart and release their hold upon the leather.

Due to this arrangement a portion of the shoe may be stretched or shrunk in conformity with the shape of the wearers foot.

The heating device shown in Figures 5 and 6 comprises a pair of arms 40 and 4| interconnected by a pivot 42 and provided with handle portions 43 and 44. The jaw portions 45 and 46 of the arms 40 and 4|, respectively; carry transverse bars 41 and 48. The bar 48 is provided with a heating element situated within the hollow interior of the bar 48 and not shown in the drawings.

The bar 48 carries a shaping member 49 which is shown separately in Figure 6 of the drawings, and which is removably mounted upon the bar 48. The operative surface 50 of the member 49 is adapted to come in contact with the surface of the leather and is provided with a plurality of ridges 5| situated between grooves 52. A similar removable shaping member 53 is carried by the bar 41 and is provided with grooves 54 which correspond in form to the ridges 5| of the member 50. The ridges 55 of the member 53 correspond to the grooves 52 of the member 58.

This device is used in substantially the same manner as that illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 and is particularly advantageous for the purpose of putting creases in the vamp of a shoe so that it will crease properly when worn.

The elements 53 and 49 may be removed and substituted by different ones whenever needed, for instance, by the shaping elements 53 and 51 shown in Figure '7. The element 5? comprises a projecting portion 58 which fits into a groove 59 formed in the shaping element 56. Obviously the shape and the dimensions of the projection 58 may be varied at will. When the elements 56 and 51 are applied over a piece of leather in the described manner they will stretch a certain small area of the shoe'for the purpose of accommodating a hammer toe or a bunion.

In the modification shown in Figures 8 and 9, the shoe shaping device comprises a pair of pivotally connected jaws 60 and 6|. The jaw 6| carries a transverse bar 62 containing a heating element. The bar '62 is rotatably mounted upon the jaw 6| and may be adjusted in any desired position in relation to the jaw 6| through the medium of a set screw 63. The transverse bar 64 is also pivotally and rotatably mounted upon the jaw 60 and may be held in any desired position upon the jaw 60 by means of the set screw 65. The transverse bars 62 and 64 are so shaped that they may carry shaping elements 68 and 6! of any desired form.

The described method and apparatus makes it possible to shrink the sides of pumps, oxfords or any other makes of shoes or to smooth out or squeeze the thickness of the leather so that the leather will be thinner, smoother and more uniform. The device may be conveniently applied for the purpose of rounding or curving the leather to the shape of the foot or to force the leather away from any part of the foot for instance, if the foot has a lump or callous. The heel counter or any part of the shoe may be flexed to any desired extent and the Vamps of the shoes may be creased so as to predetermine the location of the shoe creases or to move the already creased vamp of the shoe forward or backward to any position or location desired. The seat of the tongue of the shoe may be thinned out and a curve or hook may be formed at the shoe counter to prevent the shoe from slipping at the heel.

The device is capable of reaching any desired spot on the inside or outside of the shoe for the purpose of adjusting or shaping that spot in conformity of the shape of the foot.

What is claimed is:

A device for sizing shoes, comprising a plier arrangement having a pair of medially pivotally interconnected manually actuated crossing arms with gripping portions adapted to be grasped by the hands of the operator on one side of the pivotal element, a pair of jaw elements by which a manually exerted pressure may be applied to the upper of the shoe, said jaw elements being connected to extensions of said arms on the opposite side of said pivotal connections from said hand gripping portions, said jaws being elongated but of such size, shape and position that they may be readily inserted into the forward part of a relatively small shoe to reach any desired spot and means connected with one of said jaw elements for heating the same, the long edges of said jaw members being provided with embossments or grooves and removable cap members received upon said embossments or grooves to enable said shoes to be subjected to varying sizing operations.

ABRAHAM SACHS. 

